Typewriting machine



NOV. 8, l Q GABRlELSQN 1,886,476

TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed April 17, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 8, 1932. c. GABRIELsoN 1,886,476

TYPEWRI TING MACHINE Filed April 17, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 8, -1932. c. GABRIELsoN TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed April 17. 1929 Patented Nov. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARL GABRIELSON, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T L C SMITH & CORONA TYPEWRITERS INC.,- 0F SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW 'YORK TYPEWRITING MACHINE Application led April 17, 1929. Serial No. 355,897.

This invention relates to typewriting machines and is particularly concerned with that class of machine which is adapted to the typing of stencil cards.

The usual stencil card for use in typewriting machines consists of a substantlally rectangular frame of cardboard having the stencil sheet stretched across the central open portion thereof, it being customary to print l0 a heading across the top of the frame for convenience in handling and filing the card.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and effective means .for

bringing the type ribbon into play for typing a line across the top of the frame, and for shifting this ribbon below the printing point when the impression is made on the stencil sheet.

A further object of the invention 1s the provision of novel means for imparting a variable line space movement to the stencil card, so that the latter is advanced to a greater extent on the first complete stroke the line space lever than on the succeeding strokes thereof. This permits the stencil portion of the card to be rapidly brought to the printing point after the printing of the ltop line on the card frame without requiring subsequent adjustment of the line spacing mechanism to obtain single spacing of the card in cutting the stencil.

A further object of the invention 1s the provision of means for automatically ad]u st ing the relative positions of the machine parts so that the printing on the top line of the card frame may be made wlth the upper case letters, thereby eliminating the separate manipulation of the usual shift key O for this purpose.

It is customary in the cutting of stencil cards to provide a stencil ribbon between the platen and the card so that the impressions on the stencil may be visible, this ribbon being fed by mechanism driven from the line spacing member. It is a feature of the present'invention to so co-ordinate the stencil ribbon feed mechanism and the line spacing mechanism that the ribbon is very it unnecessary to rewind and reuse this ribbon. i

A further object of the invention is to provide mechanism for the typing of stencil cards which insures the insertion of each card while the line spacing mechanism occupies a predetermined position, so that the printing and stencil impressions on successively typed cards will be equally spaced from the top edge of the card.

Further objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying the principles of the invention, the conventional parts of the machine being omitted so that the novel features may be more readily understood;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. l; y

Figure 3 illustrates a preferred form in perspective of a card holder for use in the machine;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1; l

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. l;

Figure 6 is a view corresponding to Fig. 5 in which 'the parts occupy a different position;

Figures 7 and 8 are fragmentary end elevations illustrating the preferred form of line spacing` mechanism in different positions; c

Figures 9 and 10 are partial sectional views on the line 9-9 of Fig. 1 showing the gearing for imparting line spacing movement to the card holder and fory advancing the platen;

Figure 11 is a partial sectional view on the line 11-11 of Fig. 1;

Figure 12 is a section through 'a airo gears in the platen driving train; andp Figure 13 is a sectional view on the line 13-13 of Fig. i1, means of insuring co-ordination between the card holder and the line spacing mechanism therefor.

illustrating a preferred Figure 1 of the drawings shows the conven- 100 5o slowly and gradually advanced, so that it tional standards and 11 in which the rotatable platen shaft 12 is journaled. This shaft is removably retained in position by the usual platen locking springs 13 and 14` which are slidably mounted on the typewriting machine 'frame in the conventional manner. In the preferred form of the present invention, the platen 16 is rotatably mounted on the platen shaft and is connected thereto by suitable 10 gearing'which will be hereinafter descrlbed. A supporting frame including slde plates 18 and 19 is rigidly mounted in any suitable manner on the main frame of the typewriting machine, and these side plates are apertured to permit the passage therethrough of the platen shaft 12. The forward portions of these plates a'e provided with means for receiving and guiding the card holder 17, and this means may conveniently take the form 2g of grooves 20 and 21 in which the ends of the card holder are adapted to slide so that the holder may reciprocate tangentially of the platen.

This invention contemplates the elimination of the usual type ribbon vibratin mechanism and the substitution therefor o means operable by movement of the card holder into position for printing the top line on the card frame for elevating the type ribbon to the printing point, In the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein for the purpose of illustration, this means comprises the conventional ribbon carrier 23 which is slidably mounted on the usual type guide 24 positioncd in front of the platen. A bracket 25 and an arm 26 secured to the main frameJ of the machine serve to support the levers 27 and 28 which are fulcrumed at 29 and 30 on the bracket and arm respectively. These levers so are connected by a link 31 and extend forwardly of their fulcrum points, the lever 27 being pivotallyconnected to the ribbon carrier at 33 and the lever 28 having a` portion 28 projecting into the path of movement of 55 the card holder. It will be seen from a comparison of Figures 5 and 6-that in the movement of the card holder into position for typing the upper line on the stencil card, the lower edge of the card holder will engage and depress the end 28 of the lever 28, thereby elevating the point of pivotal connection 33 between the lever 27 and the ribbon carrier and lifting the ribbon to the printing point, so that the upper line of typing on the card a frame will be inked in the usual manner. As the card holder is moved out of engagement with the lever 28 during the subsequent line spacing. movement thereof, the spring 35, which is supported at one end on the bracket- 25, will serve to depress the lever 27 and restore the ribbon carrier to its normal inoperative position below the printing point. Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings illustrate the positions which the component parts of the 55 mechanism occupy when the ribbon is in the operative and inoperative positions respectively.

The typing of upper case characters is ordinarily accomplished in conventional typewriting machines by effecting relative displacement of the platen and the type bar set. In some instances the platen is displaced upwardly, but in the machine chosen for illustrating the present invention, the platen remains stationary, and the type bar set is displaced downwardly, the mechanism for effecting this shifting of the type bar set being conventional, and the details thereof being accordingly omitted from the disclosure of the inventlon. It will be understood, however, that the type bar set is shifted to position for printing the upper case characters by manipulation of the usual shift key, and that the type guide 24 is simultaneously shifted rthere y. The connection between these members includes a bifurcated element 36 secured adjacent the ends thereof to the type guide and ty e bar set, a portion of the frame supporting t e type bars being indicated at 36. The lever 28 extends between the bifurcations of the element 36, and the latter is preferably provided with shouldered portions 37 projecting into the path of movement of the stencil card holder 17. It will be appreciated that by properly positioning these shouldered portions 37, the movement of the card holder to a position for typing the top line on the stencil card frame may be utilized to effect shifting of the type bar set to upper case position, since the lower edge of the card holder will engage and depress the member 36, thereby depressing the type bar set and type guide simultaneously. The usual shift key may nevertheless be operated either independently of, orv in conjunction with. the mechanism just described, if so desired. It is thus possible to secure either automatic or manual shifting of the type bar set to obtain upper case printing on the top line of the card frame.

Referring now to Figures 7 and 8 of the drawings which disclose a preferred form of line spacing mechanism, it will be noted that the usual platen knob may be conveniently replaced for the purpose of the present invention by an operating lever 40 carrying a handle 41. .A ratchet 43, rigidly mounted on the platen shaft, is engaged by the conventional detent 44 for yieldingly retaining the platen shaft in any position to which it may be moved. The first tooth 45 of this ratchet is spaced from the remaining teeth and this spacing facilitates the displacement of the platen shaft and ratchet through a greater angle on the first stroke of the line space lever. A conventional line spacing pawl46 is mounted in the usual manner on the machine frame. is actuated to engage and advance the ratchet teeth by means of a line spacing lever 49 and a suitable connecting linkage, and is con-- trolled by the usual line space regulator 53. The mechanism for obtaining variable move- .nent of the ratchet on successive complete strokes of this pawl will now be described.

An element 47 having a shield portion 48 extending over the periphery of the ratchet is loosely mounted on the platen shaft and is urged against the face of the ratchet by a spring 50 which in turn re-acts against fixed abutments on the platen shaft. In this manner a frictional contact between the element 47 and the ratchet 43 is obtained, so that the element will normally rotate with the ratchet. This element is further provided with outwardly extending ngers 51 and 51 and which are adapted to engage with a portion of the Ydetent 44 to limit the angular extent of movement of the element. Figure 8 illustrates the positionv of the parts prior to the first stroke of the pawl and immediately after the ratchet has been returned to a position corresponding to the upper position of the stencil card, the top of the card frame being disposed at the printing point for receiving the upper type line. Assuming that the line space regulator 58 is set for obtaining an advance of the ratchet corresponding to three ratchet teeth, the mechanism will operate in the usual manner on the first stroke of the ratchet, the movement executed by the ratchet on this stroke serving to carry the element 47 in the direction of rotation of the ratchet to the position shown in Figure 7, in which the finger 51 engages the detent 44 to prevent further forward rotational movement of the element. The pawl will now drop back to the position shown in full lines in Figure 7 in readiness for the next stroke, and the stencil card will now occupy a position in which the impression may be cut directly on the stencil sheet. On the succeeding stroke of the pawl, the shield portion 48 of the element will prevent. immediate contact of the pawl with the ratchet, and the oawl will ride over two ratchet teeth and will engage the third, so that the full stroke of the pawl effects angular movement of the ratchet through a distance corresponding to one ratchet tooth only. The shield portion 48 of the element will occupy the same positionon succeeding strokes of the pawl, so that the stencil card will be single spaced during the cutting of Ithe stencil sheet.

On the return movement of the ratchet by the manipulation of the handle 40 the element 47 will be returned with the ratchetto a position in which the finger 45 engages the detent 44 and prevents further reverse rotational movement thereof. It will thus be seen that a simple and effective means is provided for moving the ratchet through a greater distance on the first stroke `of the pawl than on the succeeding strokes, the change from the double or triple line spacing to the single spacing being effected automatically.

The connection between the stencil card holder and the ratchet and platen shaft mayv be effected in any desired manner, the mechanism illustrated in the present embodiment of the invention comprlsing a segment 55 rigidly mounted on the platen shaft and engaging a rack 56 formed on the rear of the stencil card holder. The line spacing lever and the mechanism connecting this lever with the pawl 46 are conventional and have been omitted for the sake of clearness.

In order to insure conformity of the lines of typing and stencil impression on successive. cards, it is important to provide means for retaining the line spacing mechanism in a predetermined position during the insertion of a card holder. This means may take the form illustrated in Figure 11 of the drawings, in which a member 58 is secured to the platen shaft, preferably toward the opposite end thereof from the line spacing mechanism. This member may be provided with a sevmental toothed portion 59 engaging rac teeth 60 formed on the rear of the stencil card holder on the opposite side thereof from the rack 56. An arcuate slot 61 and an aperture 62, adjacent one end thereof, are provided in the member 58. A detent 63, which is resiliently urged into the slot 61 or aperture 62 is mounted in the side wall 18 of the frame and is provided with a knob 64 for withdrawing the same from the member 58. During the line spacing movement of the card holder, the detent 59 engages in the slot 61, and the movement of the platen shaft may be limited by the engagement of this detent with either end of the slot. When itis desired to remove the card holder for the purpose of inserting a fresh card, the detent 59 is withdrawn from the member 58 by manipulation of the knob 64, the platen shaft is advanced to position the aperture 62 opposite the detent 59, and the knob64 is released to permit the detent to enter this aperture, thus retaining the member 58 and the associated platen shaft against movement. The card holder may then be readily removed and may be reinserted without disturbing the normal relation of the racks on the card holder with the actuating toothed segments on the platen shaft. The detent is then withdrawn from the aperture and the platen shaft rotated to a position in which the detent may be permitted to re-enter the arcuate slot 61.

In order to prevent damage to the detent,

the movement of the platenshaft in either direction may be further limited by means of a plate 65 rigidly secured thereto,'and having fingers 66 and 67 for engagement with a lip 68 formed on one of the platen locking springs. This construction necessitates the withdrawal of the lockino spring fiom the path of movement of the Enger 66 to permit rotation of the platen shaft to positionl for withdrawing the card holder.

no l

It will be understood that it is unnecessary to withdraw the usual stencil card holder from the machine in order to insert a fresh card, and that the above described mechanism serves merely to facilitate the replacement of cards by permitting the removal of the card holder for this purpose.

It has heretofore been proposed to use a stencil ribbon provided with ink or carbon on one face thereof, and passing over the platen between the latter and the stencil card, so that impressions cut in the stencil sheet are clearly visible and may be easily read. It is customary to mount the platen rigidly on the pla-ten shaft, and to impart a. movement to the stencil ribbon equal in extent to the movement of the platen for advancing the ribbon during the stencil cutting operation, so that successive portions of the ribbon will be brought into operative position. It is then necessary to provide some means for rfc-winding the ribbon so that it may be used several times. The present invention contemplates the elimination of means for rewinding the stencil ribbonby advancing the same so gradually that the carbon or ink thereon is entirely used during one complete passage of the ribbon over the platen so that the ribbon may be thereafter discarded. This result may be obtained by the mechanism illustrated in detail in Figures 9 and l0 of the drawings, in which the platen is loosely mounted on the platen shaft, and is driven through suitable reduction gearing so that it is gradually advanced durin the successive line spacing movements o t-he card holder. For this purpose a ratchet 69 is freely mountedv for rotation on the platen" shaft and is engaged by one or more pawls 70, mounted on the segment 55. A pinion 7 2, carried with the ratchet 69, engages a gear 74 suitably supported on a stud 75 mounted on the frame 19. The gear 74 carries a pinion 78, which in turn meshes With a gear 79 secured for,k rotation with the platen. The relative sizes of the gears in the Vtrain are such that a movement of the platen shaft serves to rotate the platen at a greatly reduced rate of speed. A coil spring 76 may be provided on the stud for maintaining the gears 74 and 78 in engagement with the head 77 of the stud. A fixed stud 80 mounted in the side frame member 18 and a spring` the frame, and urged toward the platen by the coil springs 87. The ribbon 84 is then threaded beneath a guide 88 mounted on a plate 89, which is in turn pivotally connected to the frame at 90. The ribbon passes over` this plate and out to the rear of the machine. For convenience in inserting the ribbon, the guide 88 may be pivoted to th-e plate 89 as at 91 and retained in operative position by engagement with a fixed stud 92 on the plate. By reason of the reduction gearing for driving the platen and the frictional connection of the stencil ribbon with the platen, this ribbon is advanced very gradually for the purpose set forth above, and at the same time fresh portions of the platen are brought to the printing point, so that excessive wear of the platen atany one point is avoided.

Referring now to Figure 3 of the drawings, in which the card holder 17 is illustrated, it will be seen that this card holder comprises the usual substantially U-shaped plate 94 having suitable spring elements 95 secured thereto for the purpose of yieldingly retaining the card in the rear of the holder. rl`he constructional details of this holder are conventional and need not be further described. According to the present invention, this card holder preferably includes a plate 96 extending across the top of the holder at the rear thereof. lVhen the usual stencil card is inserted in the holder, the plate 96 Will extend across and shield the rear of the cardboard frame at the top of the card, and will thus prevent the smearing or offsetting of the stencil ribbon on the back of the card during the typing of the top line on the card frame. flhe entire card holder including the strip 96 1s preferably of metal, so that the ink or carbon on the stencil ribbon is not readily impressed thereon.

It will be seen that by the above invention a simple and effective device for the typing o f stencil cards has been produced, the entire operation, including the variable line spacing, the type ribbon shifting, and the advancing of the stencil ribbon and platen, being automatically effected. The co-ordination of the moving parts of the machine required for the typing of the top line on the stencil card frame and the subsequent cutting of the impression on the stencil sheet are brought about by the manipulation of the usual line spacing lever and the typewriting machine keys in the usual manner, and the typing of stencil cards may be thus effected simply and without any possibility of error. It will be appreciated that the arrangement specifically described herein and comprising one embodiment of the invention is presented in detail for the purpose of illustrating the underlying principles of the invention, and that the constructional details of the component parts and their arrangement in the completed machine may bemodified as desired without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a card holder adjacent the platen, means for imparting a line spacing movement of the card holder, a set of type bars provided with upper and lower case type, and means operated by movement of the card holder to a position for typing the upper line on a card for effecting rela.- tive movement between said type bar set and said platen to obtain upper case printing on the u per line of the card.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a card holder adj acent, the platen, means for imparting a line spacing movement to the card holder, a set of type bars provided with upper and lower case type, normally positioned to print with the lower case type and shiftable to a position for printing with the upper case tvne. and means operated by movement of the card holder to a position for typing the upper line on a card for shifting the type bar set to obtain upper case printing on the upper line of the card.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a card holder adjacent the platen, means for imparting a line spacing movement tothe card holder, a set of type bars provided with upper and lower case type, normally positioned to print with the lower case tvne and shiftable to a position for printing with the upper case type, a. tvne guide, and means connecting said type guide and type har set for simultaneous movement and extending into the path of movement of the card holder, whereby movement of the latter to a position for typing the upper line on a card serves to shift the type bar set and type guide for obtaining upper case printing on the upper line of the card.

4,. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a card holder adjacent the platen, means for imparting a line spacing movement to the card holder, a set of type bars provided with upper and lower case type, normally positioned to print with the lower case type and shiftable to a position for printing with the upper case type, a ribbon carrier for normally supporting a ribbon in inoperative position below the printing point, means extending into the path of movement of the card holder and operable thereby to elevate the ribbon to the printing point, and means extending into the path of movement of the card holder and operable thereby to shift the type bar set to a osition for printing upper case type, wherey movement of the card holder to a position for printing the upper line on a card serves to simultaneously shift the type bar set to upper case position and to elevate the ribbon for obtaining visible printing.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a platen supporting shaft, a supporting frame, a card holder movable in said frame adjacent the platen, gearing between said platen shaft and said card holder for effecting line spacing movement of the latter, and means for positively retaining said platen supporting shaft in a predetermined position during insertion and withdrawal of the card holder` from the supporting framefor insuring a definite relationship between the position of the card holder and the corresponding position of the shaft.

6. In a typewriting machine, the combinationl with a platen, of a platen supporting shaft, a supporting frame, a card holder movable in said frame adjacent the platen, gearing between said platen shaft and said card holder for effecting line spacing movement of the latter, and means for positively retaining said platen supporting shaft in a predetermined position during insertion and withdrawal of the card holder from the supporting frame for insuring a definite relationship between the position of the card holder and the corresponding position of the shaft, said means comprising cooperating latching elements on the shaft and the supporting frame.

7. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a platen supporting shaft, a supporting frame, a card holderl movable in-said frame adjacent the platen and provided with a toothed rack portion, a toothed element carried by the platen supporting shaft and engaging the rack portion of the card holder for effecting line spacing movement of the latter, and means for positively retaining said platen supporting shaft in a predetermined position during insertion and withdrawal of the card holder from the supporting frame for insuring a definite relationship between the position of the card holder and the corresponding position of the shaft.

8. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a platen supporting shaft, a supporting frame, a card holder movable in said frame adjacent the platen and provided with a toothed rack portion, a toothed element carried by theplaten supporting shaft and engaging the rack portion of the card holder for effecting line spacing movement of the latter, and means for positively retaining said platen supporting shaft in a predetermined position during insertion and withdrawal of the card holder from the supporting frame for insuring a definite relationship between the position of the card holder and the corresponding position of the shaft, said means comprising a spring-pressed detent engageable with said rack portion to lock the latter in position and adapted to be Withdrawn therefrom for releasing the rack portion and shaft.

9. In a machine for cutting stencils in cards of the type which comprise a rectangular frame of relatively thick material and a stencil sheet stretched across the frame and adapted to receive a printed line across the top of the frame, the combination with a platen, of a ribbon in iront of the platen for obtaining Visible stencil impressions, and a card holder supported in front of the ribbon and having a portion thereof extending across the back of the top of the frame to revent offsetting on the back of the stencil rame on typing across the top thereof.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature.

CARL GABRIELSON. 

